<p> French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed as the new prime minister today after Manuel Valls resigned to seek the Socialist nomination in the presidential election, the presidency said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Cazeneuve, who has overseen the security forces' reaction to a string of jihadist attacks that have killed more than 230 people in France over the past two years, will take control of the Socialist government until legislative elections in June.<br /><br />He was named prime minister after Valls presented his resignation to President Francois Hollande early today.<br /><br />Hollande's office said Valls' resignation had been accepted.<br /><br />"The President of the Republic has appointed Bernard Cazeneuve as prime minister and asked him to form the new government," the statement said.<br /><br />Valls, who had been prime minister for the past two and a half years, announced yesterday he would step down to try to rally the fractured French left ahead of a primary in January.<br /><br />In a combative speech, 54-year-old Valls vowed to take the fight to the conservative opposition and the far-right National Front, who are both leading the Socialists in election polls.<br /><br />His announcement came four days after Hollande said he would bow out after a single term, paving the way for Valls to try to become the left's new standard bearer.</p>
<p> French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed as the new prime minister today after Manuel Valls resigned to seek the Socialist nomination in the presidential election, the presidency said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Cazeneuve, who has overseen the security forces' reaction to a string of jihadist attacks that have killed more than 230 people in France over the past two years, will take control of the Socialist government until legislative elections in June.<br /><br />He was named prime minister after Valls presented his resignation to President Francois Hollande early today.<br /><br />Hollande's office said Valls' resignation had been accepted.<br /><br />"The President of the Republic has appointed Bernard Cazeneuve as prime minister and asked him to form the new government," the statement said.<br /><br />Valls, who had been prime minister for the past two and a half years, announced yesterday he would step down to try to rally the fractured French left ahead of a primary in January.<br /><br />In a combative speech, 54-year-old Valls vowed to take the fight to the conservative opposition and the far-right National Front, who are both leading the Socialists in election polls.<br /><br />His announcement came four days after Hollande said he would bow out after a single term, paving the way for Valls to try to become the left's new standard bearer.</p>